Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.12%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (AX:MYX), which rose 6.80% or 0.050 points to trade at 0.785 at the close. Meanwhile, Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) added 6.64% or 0.170 points to end at 2.730 and Resolute Mining Ltd (AX:RSG) was up 5.86% or 0.065 points to 1.175 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nextdc Ltd (AX:NXT), which fell 4.03% or 0.240 points to trade at 5.720 at the close. Fairfax Media Ltd (AX:FXJ) declined 2.68% or 0.020 points to end at 0.725 and Macquarie Atlas Roads Group (AX:MQA) was down 2.23% or 0.130 points to 5.700.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 715 to 579 and 382 ended unchanged.
Shares in Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 6.64% or 0.170 to 2.730.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.37% to 11.117.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.63% or 8.40 to $1343.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.22% or 0.14 to hit $64.44 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.07% or 0.05 to trade at $69.92 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.38% to 0.7947, while AUD/JPY rose 0.08% to 88.00.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.12% at 90.51.